S -
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be
with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive,
because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you
and will be in you. … But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will
send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all
that I have said to you. … “But when the
Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who
proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. … Nevertheless, I tell
you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away,
the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when
he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and
judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning
righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;
concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged." (John
14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-11 ESV)
O - I
will ask, send, give you another Helper … with you, in you, to be with you
forever … teach you, bring to your remembrance, bear witness about me, convict
the world. Jesus, the expert on God, the
Kingdom, Humans, Earth and the interface between them, is identifying the
dynamics his followers may expect when it comes to the Spirit; dynamics for the
here and now, each day, each circumstance.
Like Jesus, the Helper will actually help … he's not engaging a method
of self-help but the miracle of transformation.
The followers aren't going to be hindered by the physical departure of
Jesus and neither will they merely be a little better off because of the
Spirit. They are singularly and
completely advantaged!
A -
Jesus identifies the Spirit as "Helper". This unlikely designation for divine presence
and activity confirms two essential realities: my desperate need and his
unflickering desire. What if I actually
believe this as Jesus intends? What if I
throw open my complete self to the Helper each day and each circumstance? What if I rely on him and not on me … to
fully cooperate with what Jesus has clearly said he's up for? This is how he (Jesus) lived among us and how
he intends for his followers to live.
This day, I say yes to Jesus and to the Spirit … unto my ongoing
transformation and his amazing will on earth as it is in heaven.
P - Lord
who has not left us orphaned,
I admit my desperate need of
help. I welcome everything you already
have in mind to do in me, through me and in this world. I admit that you are working and have invited
all to join you in the work you are doing … according to the Spirit and forever
life. Yes! I'll engage my part and not try to do yours.
All in,
Steve 
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